While being undoubtedly enjoyable and funny, Spiderman: Far From Home is not groundbreaking (like the last Spiderman movie) and never seems to stray far from the standard MCU template.

Kicking off with a playful explanation of the post-Endgame world, Spiderman: Far From Home explores the aftermath of the Snap and the Blip (the Snap reversal in Avengers: Endgame), and how the world is reshaping in ways that are both major and mundane. Most of the main cast is conveniently snapped, meaning Peter and his friends are still school kids while Aunt May, also incidentally snapped, continues to be young and hot.

With the whole world coming to terms with Tony Stark’s tragic death, Peter is expected to step up and fill the void left by Iron Man, while he still clearly mourns the loss of his mentor. So, it’s quite understandable when he makes plans to take a break from superhero duties, enjoy his summer vacation in Europe with his best friend, Ned, and reveal his true feelings to MJ. However, Peter’s well-made plans come to naught when he’s approached by Nick Fury and Maria Hill to suit up and help Quentin Beck (Mysterio) fight the Elementals.

Despite the sheer spectacle on offer, including the massive climactic battle at London’s Tower Bridge, the best moments in the movie are the ones that remind us that this is basically a light-hearted teenage drama. It’s the interactions between Peter and his friends that make Spiderman: Far From Home a memorable watch. The lead pair of Tom Holland and Zendaya are absolutely charming and their romance is sweet and endearing, while Ned also gets himself caught up in a hilarious teen romance. While the relationship between Peter and Beck is rather bland, Jake Gyllenhaal’s villain turn as Mysterio certainly elevates the movie.

Spiderman: Far From Home comes burdened with the unenviable task of being the first post-Avengers: Endgame movie, meaning it has to offer audiences a compelling epilogue to the Infinity Saga while also setting up things for the next phase. While the post-credit scenes tease a cosmic future for the MCU, Spiderman: Far From Home remains a grounded superhero movie, blended with a heady mix of teen drama and romance. Despite being undoubtedly enjoyable and funny, Spiderman: Far From Home is not groundbreaking (like the last Spiderman movie) and never seems to stray far from the standard MCU template.